# How to Choose the Right Website Access Mode in Revdoku > Public, password, or password plus email: a practical guide to choosing how much friction to put in front of a Revdoku website. Revdoku turns a bucket of files into a live website, and you decide how much friction to put in front of it. There are three practical access modes, public, password-protected, and password plus email, and the right choice depends on how sensitive the content is and whether you need to know who opened it. This guide walks through each mode and when to use it. ## Use public access for open sharing Choose **Public** when the content is meant to be easy to open and forward, public demos, daily updates, simple generated websites, or pages that do not reveal private client or internal data. Keep view tracking enabled when you still want traffic and download analytics. ![Public access mode selected in the Revdoku live website dialog](/assets/blog/how-to-choose-the-right-website-access-mode-in-revdoku/01-public-access-mode.png) ## Use password access for simple private sharing Choose **Password** when you want a lightweight gate but do not need every visitor to identify themselves. This is useful for client previews, internal reports, private data files, and links that may be shared with a small group. Use Website Settings to keep visitor activity tracking enabled when you want access, view, and download activity recorded. ![Password access mode selected in the live website dialog](/assets/blog/how-to-choose-the-right-website-access-mode-in-revdoku/02-password-access-mode.png) ## Use password plus email for visitor-level attribution Choose **Password + ask to leave email** when you need to know who accessed the site. This mode is best for investor updates, client portals, gated reports, sales handoffs, and any file bundle where follow-up matters. ![Password plus email access mode in the live website dialog](/assets/blog/how-to-choose-the-right-website-access-mode-in-revdoku/03-password-email-access-mode.png) ## Compare access modes from the bucket list The bucket list shows whether each published site is public or protected, plus the live URL, view count, file count, and latest update time. Use it as the owner dashboard for deciding what needs review. ![Bucket list showing public and protected access badges](/assets/blog/how-to-choose-the-right-website-access-mode-in-revdoku/04-access-modes-in-bucket-list.png) ## Change access mode from ChatGPT Access mode can be changed after publishing. For example, ChatGPT can switch a demo website back to password protection and confirm the published site uses the restored settings. ![ChatGPT restores password access mode for a Revdoku website](/assets/en/blog/how-to-choose-the-right-website-access-mode-in-revdoku/chatgpt-revdoku-password-mode-restored-magic-stories-clean.png) When you want tighter tracking without changing the public URL, ChatGPT can also create named recipient links for the same Revdoku website. ![ChatGPT creates recipient links for a Revdoku website](/assets/en/blog/how-to-choose-the-right-website-access-mode-in-revdoku/chatgpt-revdoku-recipient-links-created-magic-stories.png) ## Ask ChatGPT to check access mode If Revdoku is connected in ChatGPT, you can ask ChatGPT to check the current access setup before you share a link. That is useful when a bucket has been republished several times or when you want a quick confirmation that a demo is public, password gated, or email gated. ![ChatGPT checks whether a Revdoku site is public, password gated, or email gated](/assets/blog/how-to-choose-the-right-website-access-mode-in-revdoku/chatgpt-revdoku-access-mode-magic-stories.webp) ## Understand the visitor experience Password plus email adds identity fields to the visitor gate. The visitor enters the shared password and their email address before viewing the site, and can leave an optional comment for the owner. ![Visitor gate asking for password, email, and an optional comment](/assets/blog/how-to-choose-the-right-website-access-mode-in-revdoku/05-password-email-visitor-gate.png) ## Understand the analytics tradeoff Password-only analytics show visits, approximate location, and timing, but visitors stay anonymous. ![Password-only visitor analytics with anonymous visitors](/assets/blog/how-to-choose-the-right-website-access-mode-in-revdoku/06-password-only-visitor-analytics.png) Password plus email attributes access to the submitted email address and shows the visitor's optional comment alongside location and timing. ![Email-attributed visitor analytics](/assets/blog/how-to-choose-the-right-website-access-mode-in-revdoku/07-email-attributed-visitor-analytics.png) ## Which mode should you use? A simple rule of thumb: - Use **Public** when reach matters more than control. - Use **Password** when the link is private but visitor identity is not essential. - Use **Password + ask to leave email** when you need follow-up, accountability, or proof of access. Think of it as a spectrum: publish instantly, protect with a password, or collect visitor identity and analytics when the content is sensitive or high-value. Ready to publish your own protected site? [Create a free Revdoku account](https://app.revdoku.com/users/sign_up) and turn a bucket of files into a live, access-controlled website. Start publishing for free Connect this AI to Revdoku so it can store files, create, update, and publish websites for me. Read and follow https://revdoku.com/prompt.md. A Revdoku account is required. If I do not have one, send me https://app.revdoku.com/users/sign_up?utm_source=revdoku.com&utm_medium=ai-chat&utm_campaign=connect_ai_first and wait until I confirm signup is complete. For ChatGPT, Claude, or another cloud AI, connect https://app.revdoku.com/mcp and complete Revdoku OAuth. For a local agent, use Revdoku's browser device sign-in and complete the connection in Revdoku. Never ask me for a password or API key in chat, or for a verification code. When Revdoku tools are connected, verify the connection, tell me you’re ready, and ask what I want to publish. Copy Prompt or Create Free Account --- [View the canonical page](https://revdoku.com/blog/how-to-choose-the-right-website-access-mode-in-revdoku/) · [Browse llms.txt](https://revdoku.com/llms.txt)